Being someone who is concerned with the latest trends and changes in the fashion world doesn’t always bode well for the wallet. This doesn’t necessarily have to imply that you should find a new line of interest, though. There are several tips that you can employ that can make this process a little easier on your finances, without sacrificing the sheer joy of staying with the latest fashions.
Create a Budget
Holding yourself accountable for the money that you spend is something that a lot of people have a hard time doing. It falls less under mismanagement of money and more about just spending when the impulse strikes. If you are someone who has a consistent amount of money each and every month, than it would be wise to sit down and work out all of the incoming versus the consistent outgoing spending. Ensure that you take everything common into account, as these will reflect on the amount of money that you are able to spend when it comes to buying new clothes or shoes. Pay close attention to the excess spending money that you have every month after your bills and food, and piece together your wants fashion wise out of the difference each month. While it might take a little longer than just opening a credit card and going nuts, it is something that you never owe later for.
Assess Your Finances Accordingly
If things aren’t moving quickly enough for your fashion needs, it might be a good time to re-evaluate where your money is going every week or every month. Consider things like your entertainment expenses. Are you going to the movies? Are you going out to dinner often? Do you spend money going out with your friends on a regular basis? A little bit of cutting back could mean a lot more green ends up available for what you really want. Consider cutting some of these things out and you might find yourself able to do even more.
On the same frame of mind, evaluate your bills that you have. A good example of this is your phone bill every month. Some people are paying outrageous prices in this day and age to have a cell phone plan. Pre-paid plans are the way of the future and offer the same service, phones and coverage for often a quarter of the cost most people are paying a month for service. The same could be said about cable bills. Assess what you actually use and scrap the rest as you are able, it will save you some money you didn’t have to spend.
Be Careful When Shopping Online
One of the best things about shopping online is the convenience and the ease of sale. You never even have to get out of your pajamas. The drawback is the fact that everything is digitized and you become a little despondent from the money you are actually spending. Online retailers are great for shuffling you from site to site, offering partnership deals and promotions that seem too good to be true
While sometimes online shopping is the only way to acquire certain items that you are looking for, keep in mind where you can find everything else in person. This makes you accountable for the money you are spending, it builds a report with sales personnel at clothing stores, and it prevents you from getting caught up in the loop of digital promotions that have you depleting your bank account on things you don’t even really want.
When you do shop online be sure to look for coupons on whatever product you’re purchasing. You can use sites like Mamma.com to search for fashion coupons on all of your favorite brands. Mamma is a coupon search engine that lets people search for coupons on their favorite brands!
These are just a few tips to keep you on track. You don’t have to give up your love of fashion, even if that love is a costly one. What it will require you to do is to assess your situation, plan a little more, and make smart choices.